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tips for cyclists
Cover your brain
Studies have repeatedly proven that bicycle helmets save lives. The studies concluded that wearing a bicycle helmet reduces the risk of head injury by 85 percent. Lance Armstrong wears a helmet. I wouldn't dream of riding without one; in fact I use the best one money can buy because even a few hundred dollars is cheap insurance to protect a billion dollar head. Not only do they help keep your head from splitting open in an accident, but they help drivers recognize you as a cyclist. Without a helmet, a driver may mistake you for a pedestrian on the sidewalk. All he or she might see is the top of your head. When you wear a helmet, you're immediately tagged as a cyclist, so the driver is more likely to be alert.
Helmets are law in Ontario, and become mandatory in British Columbia September 3, 1996.
Passing
You shouldn't make motorists pass you twice. Keep your position in a line of traffic, even when the traffic slows down for a traffic light. Drivers who plan to turn right may feel that since they passed you already, you're "back there somewhere." It's frightening how many drivers don't check their blind spot before making a right turn, so don't assume that they know where you are.
Turning
Always signal your intention to turn. Watch for cars that look like they might turn, even if they aren't using their signals. As you've probably discovered, many drivers are too lazy to signal their turns. Look over your shoulder in the direction of your turn several times before your turn, and always, always use your hand signals. Some cyclists think they are too cool to use hand signals. They're really too stupid. Make left turns from the left lane or from the turning lane.
Keep in mind that drivers often underestimate how fast you're moving. And on left turns, watch out for cars that may be coming towards you in the other lane. Perhaps they are blocked from view by another vehicle across the intersection in the turning lane. Sometimes they seem to come from nowhere, as they have just pulled out of a driveway near the intersection. Low, fast sports cars are especially hard to see.
Body language
Try to use body language to help drivers figure out what you're about to do. For example, never swerve at the last second around a pothole or recessed storm drain cover. When you see the hazard, plan your approach and move gradually in that direction. If going around it will mean a move of more than two feet to the left, check your shoulder first and use your hand signal. Use shoulder checks to let drivers know you're planning a lane change or turn, starting well before your turn. And of course, always use hand signals. Don't forget that you can use your right arm to signal a right turn. Some cyclists and coaches, including Lance Armstrong and Chris Carmichael, actually recommend this because they say it's clearer to the driver. I'm not totally convinced because it's the arm further away from the driver and may be partially obscured by your body, but it may be the better choice in some circumstances.
Intersections
Cyclists have the same rights as automobiles. If the lanes at an intersection are marked for left turns, right turns, or straight-through traffic, use the proper lanes. Although it irritates some drivers, I'll use the center of that lane in those circumstances because it is much safer than trying to share a lane with cars. I was actually hit by a bus once that tried to pass me through a left turn--all because I stayed far enough to the right to make the driver attempt to pass. If I had stayed in the center of the lane, the bus would have remained behind me until the turn was complete. If a lane is designated for straight-through traffic and you are going straight, please use that lane. Using the lane closest to the curb because you don't feel like changing lanes will signal the wrong intention.
Tips for motorists from a cyclist's point of view
Advice for cyclists on sharing the road with drivers.
the joy of workout